Opening credits, monologue, short sketch, interview, interview, band/comedian, goodnight. This rundown of the post-11:30 late night shows on each network feels monotonously similar. Each network’s Jim tells a cheesy joke while the band chimes in, and the crowd reads the “applause” sign and follows orders. A talk show is a great idea, which makes this repetition of form sad. However, these tropes only apply to the big network late night shows.

Luckily, lots of smaller channels have started giving talk shows to a diverse group of comedians who have not disappointed in ditching the formula. Eric Andre has hosted “The Eric Andre Show” on Adult Swim since 2012, Fusion has shown “The Chris Gethard Show” since 2015 and Netflix gifted veteran of the talk show Chelsea Handler her own unique streaming show released every week.

“The Eric Andre Show” is by far the most ridiculous of these three. Unlike the hourlong talk shows that welcome you in and want to get to know you, this one lasts eleven minutes per episode and turns the idea of a talk show on its head and throws it into a blender.

Andre begins most shows by destroying his cheap desk and talking to his sidekick and fellow comedian Hannibal Buress. From there, anything legal, illegal, immoral or otherwise is thrown at you in disjunctive editing with the knowledge that it feels like a talk show turned nightmare. The guests do not know what is going on most of the time, and like most adult swim shows, it makes takes advantage of the idea that the audience is probably high.

Andre challenges the form of a talk show more than Gethard or Handler, and in doing so comes off as more of a cynic of the form. That takes no entertainment value away from the show, because the insane field pieces are some of the best watches on YouTube.

Chelsea Handler hosted “Chelsea Lately,” her biggest claim to fame, on E! from 2007 to 2014. Lately ran for half a hour and included a celebrity panel that discussed pop culture happenings after Handler’s opening monologue. Her new show streams on Netflix, with new episodes airing three nights a week.

Unlike her old show, Chelsea has multiple segments per episode with writers of the show and or special guests. She has more room to form her own type of show on Netflix, and she seems willing to go beyond discussing celebrity gossip.

Like Andre, Handler is a fun, dirty comedian who enjoys going to uncomfortable places to get laughs. Netflix is a perfect place for her to do this as the restrictions of cable do not exist. Chelsea is still finding her way, but this show only debuted in May, and talk shows usually take a while to find their feet. She has the talent and the humor, the opportunity and the platform, so its only a matter of time before this one of a kind streaming show starts to make more of a splash.

Chris Gethard is not that famous. He is a comedian best known for his small roles in “Broad City” and Mike Birbiglia’s summer indie movie “Don’t Think Twice.” His half-hour show actually began on a small NYC local public access channel for a few years, but moved to Fusion at the beginning of last summer. As a talk show, this is the one that deviates most from the age-old outfit.

The crowd encircles Chris and his guests as he talks to the camera about a different weekly topic, and a cast of characters serve as his sidekicks. He welcomes Skype-ins from viewers on air, hosts small bands, and has much deeper and more relevant conversations than just promoting a guests’ recent movie. The show mirrors Gethard’s uplifting attitude, often promoting self-confidence and friendly messages. Gethard is a great example of an alternative to comedy for comedy’s sake, which is what most talk shows feel like.

So, if you are bored of the typical talk show Jims, check out Eric, Chelsea or Chris. They have room to grow, but their ability to throw away talk show tropes and make something new and more real is inspiring.

Kyle Stevens is a junior advertising major. His column appears weekly in Pulp. You can email him at ksteve03@syr.edu or reach him on Twitter at @kstevs_.

Published on October 23, 2016 at 7:26 pm